Homemade Oreos

"Oreo" Cookies
Recipe from Food Network Magazine

For The Dough

1 1/3 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder*

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

For The Filling

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup veg. shortening

3 cups conf. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Prepare the dough: sift together the dry ingredients.

2. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, incorporating each ingredient before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

3. Divide the dough into 2 pieces; place on between 2 floured sheets of parchment paper and roll 1/4" thick. Repeat with other piece. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with parchment sheets until firm, at least one hour or up to several days.

4. using 2 inch round cutter**, cut dough.(you can reroll the scraps once) Places cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet and chill for 20 min. Preheat oven to 325.

5.Bake the cookies until they are set, about 20 min*** Cool completely on wire racks.

6.Meanwhile prepare the filling: Using a mixer cream the butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in the conf. sugar and vanilla.

7.Flip half the cookies upside down and spread with filling. Press remaining cookies on top to make sandwich.

*If you dont have Dutch-process cocoa powder you can sub regular cocoa powder with baking soda added. (3T cocoa powder + 1/8 tsp baking soda = 3T Dutch Process cocoa powder.

**I used a canning ring.

***I only needed to bake them for 10 min.

The verdict: This is a labor of love. The cookies are amazing, but they are very time consuming and kinda a pain. The dough is sticky, and really needs to firm well before cutting or you will have a mess. Ask me how I know. These probably won't make another debut till christmas.